Dredge bucket



Aug. 12 1924.

A. E. GRAU DREDGE BUCKET 2 sheets-sheer 1 Filed NOV. 17. 1923 A TTORNEYS Aug. 12 1924. 1,504,471..

A. E. GRAU I DREDGE BUCKET Filed NOV. 1'7 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet lif.

' WIM/555155 A INVENTOR daga/2E.' 575g@ ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 12,1924.

UNITE STATES ADLPH EUGENE GRAU, F NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

nennen BUCKET.

Application filed November 17, 1923. Serial No. 675,402.

To @ZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ADoLrH EUGENE GRAU, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State ofLouisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in DredgeBuckets, of which the following is a specification. y

My invention relates generally to dredge buckets. more particularly todredge buckets of that type4 of construction which comprise sectionswhich are opened'and closed during the operation of the bucket, and itconsists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements hereindescribed and claimed. l

An object of the invention is to provide in a dredge bucket constructionof the character described means operable by fluid pressure to effectata single operation the opening of the bucket, the ejection of thecontents of the bucket therefrom and the cleaning of the inner walls ofthe bucket.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a dredge bucketconstruction means operable under the influencev of fluid pressure todrive the bucket into the ground.

A. still further object of the invention is to provide in a dredgebucket construction means operable by fluid pressure to hold the bucketopen when Vthe latter is empty and adapted to be moved to a position topermit closing of the bucket by the material enter.- ing the bucketduring the digging stroke of the latter, whereby premature closing ofthebucket before the latter has been filled to capacity is precluded. j

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,in which,

Figure 1'1s a vertical section through aV dredge bucket constructionembodying the invention, showing the bucket in open position. A

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l showing the bucket in 4closedposition.

Figure 3 is a relatively enlarged fragmentary verticalsection through aportion of the structure which is exhibited in the preceding views. YFigure 4 is a relatively enlarged trans-l verse section along the line4-4 of Figure l. Figure 5 is a side eleva-tion of the bucket in closedposition.

Figure 6 is a relatively enlarged plan view of an ejector head which iscomprised in the device.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the ejector head. d

Figure 8 is a plan view of the upper cross head of a frame which iscomprised in the device, and

Figure 9 is a side elevation of the bucket in open position.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Figures l, 2, 4, 5 and9 thereof, the numeral l designates a dredge bucket generally. Thisbucket is substantially rectangular in cross sectional contour at itsupper end, as best seen in Fig. 4, and comprises two complementarysections or leaves 2 and 3 respectively which are hingel together at 4at their upper ends, and which are continuously urged to a closedposition, that is, the position in which ythe side members of one of thesections are in edge to edge abutting relation to the side members ofthe other section as shown in Figures 2 and 5, by spring members 6.

The specific bucket shown in the drawings is one which is adapted foruse in digging close to a pile and therefore the section 3 has the endwall thereof formed to include a reentrant portion 7 which is curvedarcuately in cross sectional contour. itself forms no part of theinvention and therefore may vary considerablyin construetion from theformv which Vis shown without departing from the spirit and'scope of theinvention as will presently appear. j

The bucket I is suspended from a fralne 8 through the agency of aplurality of arms 9. The frame 8 comprises an upper head 10, a lowerhead 111 and a plurality of spaced apart vertically disposed stay rods12 which are attached at their upper ends to the upper head 10 and attheir lower ends to thelower head 1l at points adjacent to the outeredges of both of these heads. With this arrangement, the heads 10 and1.1 are stayedvto each other and securely held in spaced parallelrelation. j

The head 11 is provided with pairs of adjacent spaced apart ears or lugs13 corresponding in` number to the number of arms 9, eachof the arms 9being pivotally attached The bucket in at its upper end to one pair oflugs, Each of the arms 9 also is pivotally attached at its lower end, asat 14 to a pair .of upstanding ears which are formed integrally with acorner-portion of the bucket l at the upper end, ofthe latter, therebeing four of the arms 9' and each connecting the lower cross head 11Vwith one corner portion of the bucket 1, whereby thesbucketwil besupported by the trame `8 withthe longitudinal axis thereof inalinernent with the longitudi# nal aXi's of the frame and. at the sametime, the sections or leaves of the bucket will be permitted; tosw'ingaboutiheaiis ci 'the hingecon-nection between such sections from .openposition, as shown in Figures 1 and 9', to closedposition as shown in'Figures 2 and 5.

115,01 coursegl is ,dcsiitable vthat the sections of the' bucketshall beheld in open position Vat the beginning of the digging stroke. l

therefore 'prow-*ide'ineans operable at a single opera-tion to Vejectthe conteuLSbt-,t-he bucket therefrom'and izo-'both cleauthe inner wallsof the bucket and spreadrthe secti-onsiof the bucfkctto .closedposition.' kSaleh means comprises an'cj-ector head lo which 'conforms.in

.contour to-theiinnerwall oit the upper. end

portionY of the-,bucket and which is provided with 'rollers l-Ysup-ported on the ejector lleadfto exten-d slightly'beyond vtheyperipheral edge `ofthe latterfor lrolling contact with the,inner'wallsoii the end` portions of the bucket.. lt'will be obviousv`that when downward in the bueketfand the saine time* is maintained inhorizontal position.

'1; the sections ofthe bucketv will he spread apart hy' the ejector headand the: contact of the edges of the latter with the' 'innertlirofugl-iitheioiiasecurirrg screw Y c 1 through a central' opening'`flhz'e f' pistonI y stein. 22t eef-ten'dsey slidcib-llyV -t 24' in the`lower cross-head. ll andr is int ral 'its upper' endI with a head 25V'which 'is' ink-)untedf forI andiwhjichrc i. fo tb latter.v

reciaarbcadion within a! vertical cylinder 26A t The cylinder 26de;supported loer end.. in central scelte-tj or ceunterfbqre 2% which.opens through the upper lace oftheI lower Yhead ll.V The cyl'- beyond'.the Y 1 @cette-tenth tliein-ner walls 'of a .vertically indsr- 26 .spire teifablfy-= i sL` held a ga inst movemen irelati eLtolthe-headqlllasby-having uc ont (tht .lit at` its-:lower endsV with f.. @tti thesocket-27jand isrc'losed at "slidably receiving the cylinder 26.

reciprocable hammer cylinder 29. The latter is provided at its lower endwitlra rcl atively thick head 30 having an openiii'g 3;; Vit i .thisarrangement, the cylinder 26 is disposed in concentric' relation to thevertically movable. hammer cylinder 29 and the head 2S of the cylinder26 constitutes a piston for the cylinder 29. `The latter is providedwith gairs of outwardly extending lugs 32 which F embrace the stay rodsl2 und hold the cji'linder 29 against movement laterally of the frame 8while permitting 'tree 'vertical move ment ot the cylinder 29 betweenthe heads lland l2, therslay r`odsl2 serving as guides for the cylinder29. The latter is closed atits upper end by a head 33 which .isprovided' with a threaded opening 3-=l engaged by Van end portion of asuppl-y conduit 35 which may be connected with any suitable source of'pressure fluid supply. The coriduit 35 includes a flexible portion 36j.pei`- mitting bodily movement of the hammer `cylinder' without injury tothe conduit.

The piston 'stem 22 is provided with an axial passage 37 which opens atits upper end through the piston 25 and communicates at its' lower 'endwith a radial bore' or passage 38 which is threaded for engage'- mentwith an end portion of a conduit 39. "r

The axial passage 37 therefore does' not extend the entire length ofthel piston steml but terminates at its lowerend in a portion of thepiston stem which is incapable of movement up to' the level of the headll. The conduit 39 also includes a flexible portion 40 permittingmovement of the conduit as a unit with the piston stein 22 and theconduit 39 may be connected with any suitable source of pressure" Huidsupply.

'From the foregoing description of the various parts of the' device the'operation' thereof may bev readily understood. hoistingcableA Aillforsupporting the' bucket and thepfram'e 8' as a unit may be attached' tothe frame 8y through the agency of an eye-bolt i-2 which is itpstandingfrom the' central portion of the upper head 10'. As suming that thebucket has been filled.I the operation is as follows: Pressure yHuid .is

Vadmitted to the cylinder 26 above the piston 25 through the conduit 39and the axial passa-ge 37. Thepis'ton 25I is forced down'- ward',thereby pushing the ejector head 1-6, which has been located in theupper part of the bucket` downward inthe bucket withthe edge portions ofthe ejector platc in sliding' contact'with-the' inner walls ofthelmckcY` sections` which will be thoroughly cleaned because of thescraping Contact of the' ejector head therewith. ,The bucket and theframe 8 thenl are lowered as a unit until the lower or' cutting edges ofthe sections' ot the bucket are in Contact or rest upon the ma terial inwhich the excavation isto be' madei lit?) Pressure fluid is admittedthrough the conduit 35 to the space within the hammer cylinder 29 abovethe piston 28. `The hammerl cylinder 29 being freely movable in slidingengagement with the rods l2, the vcylinder 26 will be moved verticallyuntil in elevated position and until stopped by the upper head l0. It isto be understood that the conduit 35 is provided with any suitable knownmeans such as the two-way valve 35 located at any desirable placetherealong, for controlling the flow of pressure lluid therethrough intothe cylinder 29 so that pressure-fluid may be alternately supplied tothe cylinder 29 and permitted to escape therefrom through the conduit35. The hammer cylinder 29 being relatively heavy will fall by gravityfrom its elevated position upon the lower head 11 and the impact of theblow` delivered thereby will be transmitted through the arms 9 to thebucket sections l0 and will cause penetration of the latter into thematerial which is to be removed. Successive blows of the hammer cylinderwill cause the bucket to penetrate or dig to a greater depth into thematerial and the material entering the bucket will at the same time pushthe ejector head upward in the bucket, thereby permitting the springs 6to function to close the bucket when it has been filled.

The conduit 39 also is provided with a two-way valve such as thatindicated at 39 which can be manipulated to permit escape of pressurefrom the cylinder 26.

Obviously, my invention is susceptible of embodiment in forms other thanthat illustrated in the accompanying drawings and I therefore consideras my own all modifications and adaptations'of the form ofthe deviceherein described and illustrated which fairly fall within the scope ofthe appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a dredge bucket construction, a bucket comprising cooperativehinged sections spring-pressed toward closed position, and an ejectorhead interlitting the bucket and movable from a position to permitclosing of the bucket to position to eject the contents of the buckettherefrom and to spread the bucket sections apart.

2. In a dredge bucket construction, a bucket comprising cooperativehinged sections spring-pressed toward closed position, an ejector headinterlitting the bucket and movable in scraping contact with the innerwalls of the latter from position to permit closing of the bucket toposition to eiect ejection of the contents of the bucket therefrom andopening of the bucket, and means whereby the ejector head may beoperated.

3. In a vdredge bucket construction, a bucket comprising cooperativehinged sections spring-pressed toward closed position,

an ejector head interlitting the bucket andy movable in scraping contactwith the inner walls of the latter from position to permit closing ofthe bucket to position to effect ejection of the contents of the buckettherefrom and opening of the bucket, and, pressure fluid controlledmeans for moving the ejector. head in the bucket from the first namedposition to the rsecond named position.

t. In a dredge bucket construction, a bucket comprising a pair ofcooperative hinged-together sections spring-pressed toward Vclosedposition, a frame from which the bucket is suspended, an ejector headslidably interlitting a bucket and adapted when in position inthe lowerpart of thel latter to hold the sections of the bucket in open position,and means carried by the frame for moving the ejector head downward inthe bucket.

5. In a dredge bucket construction, a bucket comprising a pair ofcooperative hinged-together sections spring-pressed toward closedposition, a frame from which the bucket is suspended, an ejector headslidably intertitting the bucket at lits upper end and movable downwardin the bucket in scraping contact with the inner walls of the latter,said ejector head being of such area as `will occasion the opening ofthe bucket when the ejector head is in the lower part of the bucket, acylinder carried by said frame and being closed at its upper ends, apiston reciprocable in the cylinder and having a depending stem portionconnected at its lower end to said ejector head for operating thelatter, said piston stem having a passage opening at its upper endthrough said piston and opening at its lower end through a side wall ofthe piston stem, and a conduit attached to the piston stem incommunication with the lower end of the passage in the latter forsupplying pressure fluid to said cylinder to cause downward movement ofthe piston stem, as and for the purpose described.

6. In a dredge bucket construction, a bucket comprising a pair ofcooperative sections hinged together and spring-pressed toward closedposition, a supporting frame comprising an upper cross head, a lowercross head and vertical stay rods connecting the edge portions of saidupper and lower cross heads, arms connecting the bucket at its upper endwith said lower cross head, said lower cross head having a centralopening, and a counter-bore opening through the upper face thereof, apiston rod extending slidably through the central opening of the lowerend, an ejector head slidably interfitting the bucket at its upper endand supported by said piston rod, a piston at the upper end of thepiston rod, a cylinder secured at its lower end in the counter bore,

a head closing saidcylinder at its upper end and extending beyondtheperiphery of `the latter, a hammer cylinder' closed at its upper "endand mounted to slide vertically in enoireling relation to said lirstcylinder Aand insliding engagement with said stay rods,

the head at the upper end of said first Cylinder' providing aV pistonfor said yhammer Y e linder means Whereb ressu'r'e fluid may bealternately supplied to and permitted to escape from the space Withinsaid hammer 7, In av dredge bucket construction, al bucket comprising apair of cooperative hinged together sections spring-pressed to a Closedposition, a rigid frame having a eross head at its lower end, armseonneeting said cross head With the corner portions of said bucket atthe upper ends ofthe lat-Y ter, a hammer cylinder supported by saidframe and movable vertically in the latter from a positionin which it isdisposed upon said cross head, and means whereby pressure fluid may beemployed to lift said hammer cylinder to position to fall by gravityupon said cross head and to thus drive said bucket into material whichis to be exeavated.

ADOLPH EUGENE GRAU.

